Via Pharyngula comes this article debunking the latest insanity to come from the fevered mind of Paul Cameron. It seems that Cameron's latest claim is that being gay is contagious. It's based on his typically ridiculous attempts at designing studies, which generally rank up there with the "I asked all my friends and they agreed with me" method.
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Ed, you missed the real meat of this story. This insane "study," with a dataset based on a search of AMAZON.COM was published by a reasonably respectable journal. Cameron is Cameron. But that journal is in for some real backlash for giving him a platform to claim that his work is legitimate.
Another piece to file under the "it would be funny if it was not so depressing" category. I sometimes wonder how people can think this way.
I don't know, I've been living with a gay room mate since mid June of last year. I have since found myself on rare occasions using the word fabulous and I've bought two Joni Mitchell albums in the last six months. I also enjoyed watching "Broke Back Mountain." I have yet to, in any way, appreciate Abba or Tom Cruise but it could be just a matter of time.
But you just can't wait to see a musical. Admit it.
Honestly, I just made it halfway through Jim Burroway's article before I petered out in shock. I will just have to keep my eyes open for some better news, about the backlash that the Journal of Biosocial Science is going to get on this. How possibly could they have mistaken Cameron's paper for a real article? You know, like, from a real scientist?
Wait a minute. So you're saying that the anecdotal approach is not a valid method of gathering evidence?
Come on! If that were true, we'd have to throw out the huge majority of political commentary.. the implications of this are staggering.
You cannot be serious.
So you're saying that the anecdotal approach is not a valid method of gathering evidence?
It might not be logically valid, but hey if it works it woiks. That's all they care about, really.
"Time flies like an arrow. fruit flies like a banana." -- Groucho Marx